Change Underground and Aidan McGlynn present a new podcast series, which showcases some of the shining lights from today’s scene. Here he takes you through the tracks on this month’s mix.

1. Springa – ‘Syllables’ – Suffused

There’s a bit of a wait for this one to kick in, but boy is it worth it. We had Springa on this podcast last month with an experimental techno cut, but this track has an old-school prog feel to it that really appeals to me, with it’s twisted vocal work, huge chord changes, and the lovely chiming melodies that dominate the second half. This whole package from Suffused is great, with the remixes from Namatjira and Micah particularly appealing to me.

Release date: 11/4/16
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2. Alfredo Di Santo – ‘Gianicolo’ – Nightcolours

I didn’t know much about the producer or the label when I heard this track for the first time, but the combination of the melodic elements, the chugging bassline progression, and the intense waves of sound that accompany each drop really caught my attention.

Release date: 18/4/16
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3. Enrico Ruini – ‘Push It’ – Under No Illusion

Great percussion, a wicked bassline, and eerie spoken word vocals really make this track taken from a four-part EP from Italian producer Enrico Ruini. This is tech-house at its best – funky and seductive.

Release date: 4/4/16
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4. Marc DePulse – ‘Slapstick’ – Selador

I wrote a really favourable review of this track a few weeks back, but actually I think I undersold it – it’s stayed on repeat for me since then, and I like it more and more each time. The brassy stabs combined with the awe-inspiring bassline and general swagger is just irresistible. There’s a new EP from Marc DePulse coming on Selador on May 9th, with a mindblowing new interpretation of this track from David Granha, so be sure to watch out for that.

Release date: 21/3/16
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5. Stereo Underground – ‘Empty Spaces (Chicola Remix)’ – Sudbeat

This is an absolute masterclass in remixing. The sound here is so Chicola – the powerful techno grooves meeting intricate, spinning hooks will be familiar to fans of his ‘Her Song’, also released recently on Sudbeat – but what really gives the work its emotional punch is the way it borrows the beautifully melancholy organ-like melodies from Stereo Undergrounds original in the breakdown. The combination is just magical.

Release date: 14/3/16
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6. Lopezhouse – ‘Crosses and Angels (Guy J Dub)’ – Plattenbank

Guy J’s take on ‘Crosses and Angels’ is really different to Lopezhouse’s original, stripped back the vocals to a bare minimum, and building an airy, dancefloor-oriented groove driven by crisp percussion, bleepy motifs, and heavy bass tones. But what really sets the remix apart is the wonderfully trippy and dubby take on Lopezhouse hook, and the twisted, almost distorted countermelodies Guy J sets alongside them. The effect is nothing short of electrifying – this is one of Guy J’s best and most creative remixes in a while.

Release date: 29/2/16
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7. Adwer – ‘Multiverse’ – 238W

This is another record that’s grown on me a lot since I initially reviewed it on here – I was too taken with the excellent remixes, and didn’t fully appreciate the power of Adwer’s original in full flight. The percussion here is awesome, and the combination of exhilarating techno and sci-fi cinematics is hard to beat.

Release date: 21/3/16
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8. Brian Cid – ‘Belles du Shaman’ – microCastle

This is a musically rich and distinctive track taken from Brian Cid’s second EP on microCastle. All three originals really reward a careful listen; ‘Eternal Sunrise’ is probably my personal favourite of the three, but ‘Belles du Shaman’ fitted perfectly here, and the main breakdown is just stunning.

Release date: 18/3/16
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9. Luka Sambe – ‘Under Streetlight’ – Mesmeric

I loved Luka Sambe’s first outing on Mesmeric, ’30 Year Hiatus’, and so I was really excited to see them team up again for this release. It doesn’t disappoint; ‘Rozaball’ is great, and the remixes from Andre Sobota and Charlie May are spectacular. This is the B-side, but it’s really wonderful – it’s one of those genre-smashing tracks, combining influences from UK bass and dubstep producers with more progressive house sounds, and boasting a melody that’s no less sweet than ’30 Year Hiatus’. I don’t know how I could’ve have ended this mix on a higher note.

Release date: 28/3/16
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